Mouth mirrors



A. CODONI MOUTH MIRRORS May 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1958INVENTOR. Dnmednent. Hngelo Eodom BY Att? United States Patent MOUTHMIRRORS Angelo Codoni, Bahnhofstrasse 43, Langenthal, Switzerland FiledMay 13, 1958, Ser. No. 734,983 I Claims priority, applicationSwitzerland Oct. 25, 1957 4 Claims. (CI. 32-69) During the treatment ofa tooth, for instance during milling, the dentist holds in one hand theinstru ment and in the other hand the mouth mirror. by means of which hecan observe the working zone. Often the mirror becomes blurred due tothe breath of the patient or is soiled by tooth chips or similarmaterials. Likewise, if the tooth is milled in presence of water, as isoften made now for attenuating the pains of the patient,

the mirror image is distorted, so that a correct observation is nolonger possible. Up till now the dentist had to remove from time to timethe mirror out of the mouth of the patient in order to clean the mirror.He had therefore to interrupt his work and deposit his instrument, thisinvolving great waste of time.

Devices are already known which avoid removing the mirror out of themouth of the patient. Thus, for instance, it has been proposed toproject onto the surface of the mirror cleaning water supplied by awater conduit, while the mirror remains in the buccal cavity. In theseknown mirrors a nozzle adapted to project water onto the tooth beingmilled traverses the mirror surface and has close in front of the mirrorsurface a lateral opening supplying water for cleaning the mirror. Theseknown devices have the drawback that water flows in a direction parallelto the mirror surface, so that the cleaning action is inadequate.Moreover, when the mirror is cleaned exclusively with water, this wateradheres to the mirror surface, so that the image obtained is highlydistorted.

The invention aims at overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks by thefact that the mirror surface is first rinsed with a liquid, e.g. water,and then the liquid still adhering to the mirror surface is blown out bya jet of gas under pressure, particularly by a jet of compressed air. Itis possible to control the supply of liquid and air from the mirrorhandle. The buccal mirror according to the invention is provided with atleast one discharge nozzle opening in 'front'of the mirror surface.Preferably the nozzle extends along the longitudinal axis of the mirrorhandle and opens at a point lying near the intersection of thelongitudinal axis of the handle with the mirror surface, the saidsurface making an obtuse angle with the said longitudinal axis.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, two embodiments ofthe mouth mirror according to the invention. I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an axialsection, at an enlarged scale, of the front portion ofthe handle of the first embodiment with the mirror mounted.

Fig. 3 is a top view corresponding to Fig. 2.

Fig: 4 is an axial section of the rear portion of the handle of thefirst embodiment, with a plug for the connection of the supply pipes forwater and air.

Fig." Sis atop view corresponding to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top viewsimilar to Fig. 5, showing another connection means of the supply pipesI Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the pressing spring for the plug ofthe three-way cock of the first embodiment for selectively controllingwater and air supply.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the second embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, at an enlarged scale, taken along the lineIX-IX in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line X-X in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XIXI in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a view, partially in section, at an enlarged scale, of avalve.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the valve rod.

The handle 1 of the first embodiment illustrated in the drawings istraversed by a water pipe 2 and a compressed air pipe 3, from its rearend #11 up to a three-way cock the plug of which is rotatably mounted inthe conical bore 5 of the handle 1 land is pressed by the leaf spring 6as shown in Fig. 7 against the wall of the bore 5. The

leaf spring 6 is arranged in a recess 7 of the handle 1, in

which it is secured by means of a screw 8. One of the fork-shaped ends 9of the spring 6 engages an annular groove 10 of the plug 4. Both pipes 2and 3 project from the rear end 11 of the handle 1 and constituteconical plug pins 12. On these pins 12 a sleeve or plug 13 can beremovably mounted. The sleeve 13 has two 1 connecting pieces 14 on whichare mounted the supply pipes 15 and 16 respectively for water and air.The pipes 15 and 16 are preferably flexible and are made for instance ofrubber or synthetic material. In the modified embodiment illustrated inFig. 6, the supply pipes 15 and 16 are directly mounted on the ends 12of the pipes 2 and 3 projecting from the rear end 11 of the handle 1. Onthe side of the plug 4 remote from the pipes 2 and 3 is provided asingle bore 17 connected to the bore 5 of the three-way cock. In thisbore 17 is arranged a pipe 18 extending in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the handle :1 and forming a discharge nozzle 23 atits front end. The pipe 18 is secured to a mounting 19 on which is alsoscrewed the support 20 of the mirror 21. The mirror surface 22 makes anobtuse angle with the longitudinal direction of the handle 1 andtherefore also with the axis of the pipe 18. The nozzle 23 of the pipe18 lies near the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the handle 1with the mirror surface 22, that is to say, with reference to Fig. 2,near the lower portion of the mirror surface 22. In the mounting 19 isalso screwed a pin 24 which enters a bore 25 of the handle 1 and servesas a plug, as does also the conical end of the pipe 18. The mounting 19with the mirror 21 and the pipe 18 can, therefore, be separated from thehandle '1, thus affording the advantage that the mirror 21 can beremoved from the handle 1 when it has to be sterilized. The plug 4 ofthe three-way cock has a round control knob 26 which the dentist canactuate very easily with the same hand which holds the handle 1. Therotation of the knob 26 is limited by a pin 27 secured to the handle 1and engaging a groove 28 of the knob 26.

When the mirror surface 22 placed in the buccal cavity of the patient isblurred or dirty, the dentist, without removing from the mouth themirror or the instrument, turns the plug 4 by means of the knob 26 fromthe position illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the connection between thepipe 18 and both supply pipes 2 and 3 is cut off, in thecounter-clockwise direction in Fig. 3 until the bore 29 of the plug 4 isin communication with the pipe 2, so that water under pressure isdischarged from the nozzle 23 and is projected against the mirrorsurface 22. Then, the dentist turns the control knob 26 in the clockwisedirection in Fig. 3 until the bore 29 of the plug 4 is in communicationwith the compressed air pipe 3, so that a jet of compressed air isdischarged from the nozzle 23 and is projected against the mirrorsurface 22, thus blowing out the water particles adhering to the mirrorsurface. These operations may be elfected while the mirror is in themouth of the patient and the dentist is still milling a tooth.Experiments have shown that the mirror surface 22 becomes absolutelyclean after the projection of compressed air. Thereafter the dentistbrings back the plug 4 into the position of Fig. 3. If the mirror imageis blurred because of dry powder issuing from a tooth, it may be keptclean by means of a current of compressed air acting continuously.

In the second embodiment illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13, the same partsare denoted by the same reference numerals as in the preceding example.

Whereas in the example of Figs. 1 to 7 the control knob 26 is placedabove when the mirror surface 22 is oriented upwards, the control knob26 of the second embodiment is arranged laterally when the mirrorsurface looks upwards. The position of the control knob 26 is thereforeshifted by 90 with respect to the vertical, towards left or rightaccording to the manner in which the mirror is mounted on the handle.This arrangement of the control knob facilitates the dentist in thehandling of the mirror, since it is easier to actuate a knob arrangedlaterally than a knob looking upwards. As shown in Fig. 9, the handle 1has two recessed holes 25 diametrically opposed with respect to the bore17. According to whether the support 20 of the mirror 21 is insertedinto the upper or lower hole 25 (Fig. 9), the mirror surface 22 isoriented towards the front or the rear with respect to the drawing planeof Fig. 8. In Fig. 8 the mirror surface looks towards the rear and thecontrol knob 26 extends upwards. If the mirror surface is orientedupwards, the control knob 26 is therefore on the left side of thehandle 1. This is the position in which the dentist introduces themirror from the left into the mouth of the patient. If the mounting 19is turned over so that the support 20 enters the other recessed hole 25,the control knob 26 lies at the right of the handle 1 when the mirrorsurface looks upwards. This is the position in which the dentistintroduces the mirror from the right into the mouth of the patient. Itis therefore possible, with this second embodiment of the mouth mirrorof the invention, to adapt the position of the control knob 26 to theside from which the dentist wishes to introduce the mirror into themouth of the patient.

The control knob 26 of the second embodiment is no longer connected tothe plug of a three-way cock, but, as shown in Figs. 9, and 11, to acontrol cylinder 30 rotatably mounted in a bore 31 of the casing 1. Thecylinder 30 is held axially by a washer 32 forced into the casing 1. Thespace between the washer 32 and the cylinder 30 is sealed by means of asealing ring 33 consisting, for instance, of a so-called O-ringavailable on the market. The control cylinder 30 has a radial bore 34communicating at one end with the bore 17 and opening at the other endinto a milled out portion 35 of the cylinder 30. The supply pipes 2 and3 for water and compressed air are each connected with a valve bore 36of the casing 1 having a conical valve seat 37 at its end remote fromthe pipes 2 and 3. The conical valve body 38 carries a sealing ring 39bearing against the shoulder 46 and has on the side near to the pipes 2and 3 a guiding pin 38' for a coil spring 40. The spring 40 bears withone end against the valve body 38 and with its other end against the endface of the pipe 2 or 3 respectively. On the end of each valve body nearto the control cylinder 30 is secured a valve rod 41 of triangularsection (Fig. 13). These rods '41 are arranged in cylindrical bores 42which open into the milled out portion 35 of the control cylinder 30.The rods 41 end near the bottom 43 of the milled out portion 35.

In the position of Fig. 9 both valves 38 are closed. Neither water norair can, therefore, enter the bore 17. Now, if the dentist somewhatturns the control cylinder 30 by means of the control knob 26 in theclockwise 4 direction in Fig. 9, the bottom 43 of the milled out portion35 repels the valve rod 41 corresponding to the pipe 2 against theaction of the corresponding spring 40, so that the valve correspondingto the pipe 2 opens and water may enter through the pipe 2, the valvebore 36, the space 44 left free in the cylindrical bore 42 by the valverod 41, the milled out portion 35 and the radial bore 34 of the cylinder30, into the bore 17. As the movement of rotation of the cylinder 30 isvery small and the radial bore 34 is flared out at its end 45, thecommunication between the bore 34 and the bore 17 is guaranteed in spiteof the rotation of the cylinder 30. If the dentist brings back thecontrol knob 26 into the position of Fig. 9, the water supply is cutoff. If he turns the knob 26 in the counter-clockwise direction in Fig.9 from the position illustrated in Fig. 9, the valve corresponding tothe compressed air pipe 3 opens and compressed air may be lead into thebore '17 in a manner similar to that described for water. Actuating ofthe control knob 26 is still facilitated by the fact that when the knobis brought back into its neutral position of the control cylinder 30,the compressed springs 40 promote this movement, so that the dentistneed not use much force for actuating the knob 26 and, therefore, is nothindered in his work.

Instead of conical valves disk valves might also be used. It would alsobe possible to shorten the handle between the control cylinder 30 andthe recessed holes 25 by lengthening the mounting 19 and tapering themounting 19 towards the mirror 21, the mirror thus obtained having aparticularly handy shape. Instead of a plug or sleeve 13 it would alsobe possible, in the second embodiment, to provide a direct connection ofthe pipes 15 and 16 as shown in Fig. 6.

Two diametrically opposed control knobs might also be secured to thecontrol cylinder 30, sealing rings 33 having then to be placed at bothends of the cylinder 30. In this case, it would no longer be necessaryto turn over the mounting 19 if the direction of introduction of themirror into the mouth of the patient has to be changed.

What I claim is:

l. A dental mirror comprising an elongate handle having a liquid supplyconduit and a gas supply conduit provided with external connecting meansat one end of the handle for connection to a liquid supply and a gassupply, respectively, said handle having a discharge passage openingupon the opposite end thereof, a valve mounted in said handle movablebetween positlons connecting only the liquid supply conduit or only thegas supply conduit to said discharge passage and a further positionblocking said discharge passage from both of said supply conduits, saidhandle also having, in said opposite end thereof, a recess in spacedparallelism with said discharge passage, a sleeve having a pair ofspaced bores therein, a plug member projecting from one of said boresand removably engaged within said recess. a shank projecting from saidone bore oppositely of sa1d plug and having a mirror mounted on the freeend thereof disposed at an obtuse angle to the axis of said handle andtransverse the axis of the other bore, and an elongate discharge tubeprojecting through said other bore in said sleeve and having one endremovably engaged in said discharge passage of the handle with theopposite end of the tube projecting into close proximity to and directedat the base of said mirror disposed closest to said sleeve,theengagement of said plug member and said discharge tube in said handleretaining said mirror in fixed angular relation to said handle, wherebyduring use the mirror may be cleaned by first connecting said dischargetube to the liquid supply conduit to wash the re fiective surface of themirror and then connecting the tube to the gas supply conduit for dryingthe reflective surface of the mirror and said sleeve with said mirrorand said discharge tube may be removed from said handle forsterilization.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a taperedbore formed in the handle to communicate with said supply conduits andsaid tube, a tapered plug rotatably seated in said bore having a passageformed therethrough, said passage having a widened mouth at the portionnear the tube so that the plug may be rotated to selectively communicatesaid conduits and said tubes through the passage, resilient means insaid handle biasing said plug toward the smaller end of the bore toprevent leakage, and means for stopping the plug in two extremepositions each communicating the tube with another conduit.

3. A dental mirror comprising a handle, a mirror mounted on said handleadjacent one end thereof, said handle having a liquid supply conduit anda gas supply conduit, a tube in said handle and having an open endadjacent and directed toward said mirror, valve means in said handle andmovable to selectively communicate said liquid and gas supply conduitswith said tube, whereby mirror cleaning may be accomplished by washingit with a liquid and then removing the liquid with a gas, a bore formedin the handle and interposed between the tube and conduits, said valvemeans including a fluid control means in communication with each conduithaving an actuating rod projecting into said bore, a control cylinderrotatably mounted in said bore having a chamber formed in one Wall thebottom of which defines a cam surface, an actuating rod in the vicinityof each end of the cam surface and closely adjacent thereto so that asmall rotation of the control cylinder in one direction actuates onefluid control means through its actu- 6 ating rod, while a smallrotation of said cylinder in the opposite direction actuates the otherfluid control means through its actuating rod, and a passage formedthrough said control cylinder and communicating said chamber with saidtube whereby gas and fluid from said conduits may be selectivelyconveyed to said tube with but a slight movementof said cylinder.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein each fluid control means includes acompartment in said handle communicating with a conduit, a cylindricalpassageway in communication with said compartment and said bore, a valvebody in said compartment, means biasing said valve body against saidpassageway to prevent flow therethrough, said actuating rod having across section only partially filling the pasageway through which itprojects from the valve body so that movement of said valve body againstthe biasing means communicates the compartment with the chamber throughthe space between the walls of the control rod and the passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,622,261 Smith Dec. 23, 1952 2,779,100 Claessens Jan. 29, 19572,809,429 Cerveris Oct. 15, 1957 2,809,430 Barber Oct. 15, 19572,812,765 Tofliemire Nov. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 506,164 Italy Dec.21, 1954

